


Healing, Again.

by albinokittens300



Category: Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: AU, Ever so slightly OOC characters, Everlark is EXTREAMLY minor and only in the last half, Familial Love, Gen, Healing, Mother-Daughter Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-09
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-12 17:15:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 2,338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28639122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/albinokittens300/pseuds/albinokittens300
Summary: Charlotte Everdeen hears how her daughter is fareing in District 12 after the Rebellion. She returns, inistint on being there for Katniss this time, no matter the cost to herself.
Relationships: Katniss Everdeen & Mrs. Everdeen, Katniss Everdeen/Peeta Mellark
Comments: 8
Kudos: 24





	1. Part One

**Author's Note:**

> This is a fic I worte in December, a fairly simple AU where Katniss's mom (named Charlotte in this fic, just to make sure there is no confusion) returns to District 12 to help her daughter when she hears how badly she is faring after the rebellion. This ended up being a 7 part fic with more than 2,300 words so. Yea! Look forward to that because it is all done and ready to post :). 
> 
> It was a unique challenge to write this, but I do hope everyone loves it! The final product is something I am fairly proud of. Please leave a comment or kudos if you feel like it as well, they are so appresiated :D.

The first thing she does when Sae opens the door to the house her daughter concealed herself in was force her into a shower.

It took Charlotte’s breath away, her girl laying on the couch- nothing but pale skin and bones. She seems somewhere between awake and asleep. Catatonic, whatever state she was in. Wordlessly she looks to Sae, an old friend, and the one Haymitch promised was making sure Katniss still ate.

“I’ve tried, girl. Can barely force some spoonfuls of stew down her throat or convince her to eat some vegetables or fruit. Can’t really get her off that couch for a shower, to change her clothes. When she sits up, I do my best to clean her grafts, but-” Mrs. Everdeen stops her. Seeing that the old woman has tried, honestly tried to help her baby. Smiling, she asks for privacy.

For weeks she’s been drowning in the same grief as her daughter, the loss of their Prim. Now, though, Charlotte decides this time she’ll be there for her oldest. Be a mother to her for the first time in a long time.

Katniss sits up and looks at her. Eyes wide and almost blank at the same time.

“It’s me, baby. I’m here now.” Charlotte takes her hands. “Whether you want me here or not. Come on, let’s get you a shower.”

Standing, she makes it to the bathroom before realizing Katniss isn’t moving. Sighing, she goes back to the couch. Katniss has to be pulled off the sofa and to her feet, but luckily seems to not truly fight. That, or she doesn’t have the energy.

Once they are in the room, she starts the shower while Katniss sits on the toilet seat. After realizing her daughter has no intention of undressing, she does it for her. Things go smoother once the water hits Katniss’s skin, and -finally- the younger girl moves to grab the cloth and soap to begin cleaning herself. Charlotte sighs, relieved.

It seems afterward, the clean pair of clothes is appreciated. Katniss dresses slowly, mindlessly, but by herself before returning to the couch and drifting off into a restless, fitful sleep.

While towel drying her hair, sitting beside her on the couch, Charlotte whispers to her daughter. Saying again and again that she’s here, she’s here.


	2. Part Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tissue warning, this chapter made me want to cry so so so many times. I mean, the subject of this fic kinda implies it's coming but yea everyone. Angst warning. Regardless, I hope you all enjoy this. Please leave comments and kudos if you feel like it as well, they mean so much :)!

A half-hour later, she knows why Katniss seems half awake and why she seems to have lived off the couch. The blood-curdling scream starts as she is dropping carrots into a pot for stew.

Katniss is thrashing, shouting on the couch. She's woken herself up by the time Charlotte makes it there, but it makes her no less terrified, and the teenager jumps when she touches her upper arm. Face wet with tears and struggling to get in enough air. Mrs. Everdeen wants to sob with her. Nightmares have been constant since her husband died, more frequent since her first games, but this was something else entirely.

No wonder it seems like she sleeps all day but doesn't really sleep at all. From the terror in her eyes, Katniss surely was reliving absolute hell.

Once she quits thrashing, Charlotte wraps her arms firmly around her and pulls the girl close. Shushing and whispering to her.

Charlotte remembers Katniss as a little girl, wanting nothing more than to sleep with her. How much she'd clutch at her when bedtime came. It's been years since that's happened, since Katniss reached out to her. It breaks and warms her heart simultaneously when her nearly 18-year-old girl does it now.

"She's gone." Katniss finally whispers. It is soft and sounds like she's smoked a pipe a day her entire life. "I did everything, anything I could, and Prim is still gone." She sobs.

Charlotte can only nod and hold onto her closer. There is nothing more to say, and all attempts die on her lips between dry sobs. Prim's death's, unfairness, and pain of it all wasn't something either of them needed to say or convey. It seems like a small mercy that their hold on one another was enough for a momentary touch of comfort.


	3. Part Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part three, yay! Katniss starts to regain her voice here, and that is when I will drag your attention to the 'slightly OOC' tag. My explanation of this is that Kat is healing in a very different context than is what is presented to us in canon, so I felt she'd heal differently, starting here. It is only VERY slight, but incase you feel like this is a little off for Katniss here on out, that's what cause it in my brain XD.
> 
> Enjoy reading, and leave kudos and likes if you feel so inclined!

The next days are hard. Katniss is still nearly comatose and steadfastly refuses most things.

It’s Charlotte’s sheer determination (and full willingness to drag her body across the house some days) that sees Katniss take daily showers and daily changes of clothes. Eating is more problematic, and despite attempting every delicious meal, or light tasteless meal that comes to mind, she can only get sparring spoonfuls or bites into the younger woman.

She tries to get up at a reasonable hour. Katniss continued to wake her every few hours at night, but for now, Charlotte is insistent on doing it and being there when the nightmares overcome her.

Any attempts at fresh air are refused. No amount of offering walks or hikes moves Katniss, so it is given up at the moment. On the third day, she begins reading to Katniss. Or maybe herself, and it was a little to do with the silence Charlotte was sure would suffocate her. That’s when she heard it again. The squeaky voice of her daughter she hears only through screams otherwise.

“That’s not right.”

“What”?

“Those are the devil’s walking sticks, not elderberries. They aren’t lethal unless you eat a ton, but will make you feel like someone tore up your stomach.”

“How-”

“Elderberries don’t have thorns.” She says.

The attitude grates at her slightly, and the mother in her wants to scold Katniss. But the happiness of her speaking, knowing she is listening, outweighs it several times over. And she is caught for a moment before responding. “Alright, alright. Let me write a note here. We’ll fix it then.”

After that, it seems the seal of Katniss’s lips is broken. It doesn’t make her talkative or even pulls words from her when it’s anything other than strictly necessary. But small requests and thanks begin to happen more throughout the rest of the week.


	4. Part Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part four is a little late, but here you all go! This ones a bit lighter, more healing than hurt. Doesn't mean that there isn't more angst coming but for now, there's a bit of a reprieve :). Hope you all enjoy it, and leave a comment or kudos if you feel so inclined!

A month passes before she decides to cut Katniss’s hair. The uneven chop and frayed ends bothered something in her. Even more, as her daughter slowly seems to heal.

Most days are still spent on the couch. But Katniss is talking more- enough, her voice is no longer gravelly from disuse. Even engaging in conversations when prompted or when she has something to say about the book being read. It was something that Katniss seemed to be interested in and engaged with, listening to her reading. It is the most attentive she is, and recently, Charlotte’s been coaxing her to read on her own.

Her skin graphs are getting enough air from her sitting up that they are healing better. Regular meals, albeit forced half the time, is helping her to gain some healthy weight. The scraggly, unevenly burnt hair doesn’t mix well with her healing daughter.

So after a shower, she asks her daughter to come back into the bathroom when she begins to leave.

“Why?” Katniss says.

“You’re hair. I think we should cut it. Can I cut it, please?”

There is no agreement, but Laura swears she sees curiosity in her daughter’s eyes for the first time in the longest time. Wordlessly, they go into the bathroom and sit in front of the large mirror. After a thorough combing, she begins cutting small sections at a time. In the end, the hair falls just above her shoulders.

Katniss takes a hand and runs it through. Feeling the soft, clean locks of her own hair. Gently shaking her head.

“It’s light. It feels so light.”

“I imagine. Half the length some of it was before. I took a lot off, but don’t worry. It’ll grow back.”

Shaking her head no, Katniss disagrees. “No. No, I want to keep it. For a while, maybe.”

Charlotte grins ear to ear, seeing the ghost of a smile on her daughter’s face as her hands continue to play with her hair. Brushing it, twisting it in her fingers. Feeling like she hand conquered a lion to see Katniss enjoying something, however small.


	5. Part Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am again a little late to update this, my apologies. But I think the sprinkle of Everlark in here will hopefully make it worth it! You can likely guess what happens in this part because I said that, but again. Ah well. Please enjoy reading! And leave a comment and kudos if you feel so inclined :).

Greasy Sae is still a frequent visitor and regularly helps cook. Charlotte is glad soon she will be able to open a stall to sell food and things again. For now, she appreciates the help with meals and the kind company. While helping to unpack her friend's basket, Katniss comes to sit at the table with a book they'd started recently. 

It was an improvement in and of itself for Katniss to come to sit with them. Slowly, Katniss seems to be remaining awake most of the day. Reading is a favorite, and in the last few days, Katniss has seemingly been looking outside more. Soon Charlotte hopes to get Katniss outdoors, even if on the small patio area. The sun, the air would undoubtedly be good. Her daughter's home had always been the forest, and Charlotte wants to return that to her little girl.

Not wasting away in nightmares and brief fits of sleep was an improvement, though. Moving to be in the same room with them, a step forward.

"Thank you." She says sincerely to Sae when Katniss settles.

"It's nothing. Fresh eggs and bread demand a hearty breakfast!" Greasy Sae says. 

"Fresh bread?" 

"Yes! Just the other day, the bakers' boy came back. He's making as much in his oven across the way as he can."

"Peeta's back?" Katniss asks unexpectedly. Before she can get out and both the older women look at her for a moment. Sae nods, and Katniss doesn't continue to speak, but for the rest of the day, Charlotte catches her glance out the window. Presumably across the way to Peeta's home. The idea of Peeta coming back puts fear in her heart after the happenings in District 13. 

But she can't push away that Katniss seems distinctly excited watching for him. Nervous, as well, but there is clearly an eagerness there. In this, her daughter is braver than she is.


	6. Part Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, late for my update, sorry! But chapter six is here! Charlotte gets a bit of a moment and I hope you all enjoy it. Her reacting the way she does here, feels defiantly canon. Also enjoy again, maybe a little OOC Katniss? I don't know how off she is to you all if she is off at all. Fair warning though if she does. 
> 
> Please leave a comment or kudos if you want, they are always appreciated!

The next day they cross paths. Peeta brings a wheelbarrow of primroses in memory of her youngest daughter. Somberly, he asks permission to plant them in front of the house. Charlotte silently gives her permission with tears in her eyes. How she would thank him could be worked out later, but she allows him to create the small memorial of flowers.

It breaks a dam in her, seeing the cheerful spring blooms. For some hours, she mourns alone, for the first time since being told about the bombs. Sitting at the table, she holds Prim’s picture that had been hidden away in her luggage and letting the tears silently fall and her heartthrob in her chest. Since losing Prim, she’d avoided most of her grief by caring for others, the patients in District 2, and eventually Katniss when she found out how much she needed her.

Katniss wakes up later before she manages to pull herself together. For a moment, panic sets in, fearing the worst if the still healing girl sees the flowers. But she comes down to settle herself on the couch, and she sees Peeta working to plant the flowers before Charlotte can do anything.

It only lasts a moment before two and two are put together.

Charlotte is startled, though, when she finds Katniss getting up and walking out the door, heading directly for Peeta instead of breaking at the seams. She doesn’t hear what words are exchanged, but when Katniss comes back, she looks like she saw someone rise from the dead. And perhaps it felt that way to the two of them, speaking after so much has changed.

Unnervingly, Katniss goes straight to her bed, and Charlotte kicks herself. Did she undo all she had helped by letting something like flowers slip back into her daughter’s life? So that she could cry? The act hadn’t felt selfish, but if it ruined all the healing, the last few months had built...

The next morning, however, Katniss does something she had not considered pushing for. She wakes up and heads into the woods. It is a relief watching her daughter disappear into the trees down the road, seeing her truly go home. 

It also makes Charlotte braver, granting the strength she needs to pull out Prim’s picture and place it on the mantle. She talks and cries and whispers apologies until somehow, she feels lighter.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last part! Honestly looking back I was not sure this would be a thing. This fic, believe it or not, took me the entirely of December to write and I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did. It was not easy but I found it very much worth it, and ngl. Makes me what to include more of Kat's mom in fics in the future. 
> 
> Please leave comments, kudos if you want, as well! They are always appreciated!

By the afternoon, Katniss comes back with a single fish in hand and a wide, thrilled grin that hits her eyes. It’s as she watches the fish be scaled and cleaned that the mother in Charlotte relaxes for the first time since Peetas returns.

They cook the fish for dinner, and she decides to invite Peeta, Sae, and Haymitch. As much as she has done to help Katniss, Charlotte is aware that her daughter needs more than just her now. The progress has been immeasurable, and she has no plans to leave yet. Not till Katniss has a life where she is thriving. But seeing Peeta give her that push to return to the forest, it is clear this healing will have to involve him too. 

She is shy at first, perched on her regular place on the sofa as they converge in the kitchen. Peeta, it is clear, is hyper-aware of her too. But Charlotte takes her hand, and Katniss follows her to sit with them at the table.

Taking the stool closest to her, she doesn’t look at Peeta directly, but eventually, they both seem to become more at ease and dig into the fish, greens, and roasted potatoes set out before them.

Though something much deeper happens when Peeta taps Katniss’s arm and pushes a slice of bread towards her, and Katniss looks like she wants to cry and laugh all at the same time. Things were not better yet, for sure. But Charlotte submits the smile on her daughter to memory for the coming more challenging days. To help her push to make more days like this one possible.


End file.
